New Zealand? I'll try to explain

When I consider that this is likely my last "active" vacation, I quickly realize there is no place on earth better to spend it than here, and no one better to be my guide than Rachel. We have done so much, completely stress free, and for me, largely guilt free that I find a Utopian niche here I never thought existed- anywhere. Words cannot describe (though I shall mightily try) this country. Once I get home on my big keyboard, I will post much beyond pics and accolades about what my experience has been. For now, however, all you get is a teaser- Back home, people, towns, community lay upon the land and create their environment as a stamp on an envelope directs a letter to its chosen destination. In New Zealand, the land rules. The contours and environments already exist and the people compose their lives to conform with the topography. More simply put, the obvious is that the earth here rules and we our its guests. I will elaborate on this subject at a later date.
Of the days here: today alone, we took a helicopter ride over a glacier, landed on 1,000 feet of snow, got out, (I nearly fell out), walked around at the top of the world, took pictures, video (later), cut back to Fox Glacier (google it), all before breakfast, which consisted of my first "good" cup of Americana coffee, toast and marmalade. We then started south to Wanaka via a twisty turn highway replete with a dozen single lane bridges. We stopped for no less than three waterfalls, which can be seen in upcoming photo posts. Snow capped mountains, glacier tracks, mountainside waterfalls inaccessible to us, half million acre lakes- two of them, one on our left, one on our right- rivers so powerful and rock strewn as to be uncrossable on foot and unnavigable by raft, kayak or canoe; cows, sheep, lichen covered wooden fence posts for miles, birds of a different colour, strange trees, palms in the oddest places, ferns, primordial woods, equatorial jungle, blue skies, rain and rainbows, massive rock shallows, creeks, runoffs, green and gold-not of this world. Keep in mind, that's just today. More and more and more to come. Strewn here are a few pics to whet your appetite.